Currycomb.



No. 649,894 Patented May 22, I900. C. W. ALLEN.

BUIRRYMMB.

(Application filed Sept. 2, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Wihjassas UNiTnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

CHARLES WHITE ALLEN, OF MANASQUAN, NE\V JERSEY.

CURRYCOMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 649,894, dated May 22,1900.

Application filed September 2, 1899. Serial No. 729,362. (No modeli) To(LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LGHARLES \VHITE ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Manasquan, in the county of Monmouth and State of NewJersey, have invented a new and use ful Currycomb, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to currycombs; and the object in View is toprovide an improved device of this class having a construction which issuch that its use will not irritate or scratch a horse or other animaland by means of which dandruff, dry dirt, and other substances may bequickly and easily removed when the comb is used in the ordinary manner.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined descriptionand claims, and the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein corresponding parts are indicatedby similar reference characters in the views, and in which Figure 1 is abottom plan view of a currycomb embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same.

The numeral 1 designates a back which may be of any desired shape, butpreferably of the oblong form shown, having the ends elliptical orrounded. Secured centrally and transversely of the bottom thereof is arow of tufts or brushes 2, composed of bristles or fine wire, and atopposite ends of the said row of tufts or brushes are a plurality ofteeth comprising in the present instance a central loop 3, having onopposite sides blunt or headed teeth 4. These teeth stand outwardly andafford means for working the comb in close places on the body of the animal or in small hollows. From the central row of tufts or brushes theremaining teeth on opposite sides are of similar character andcorrespondingly arranged, and nexlt to the said brushes is a transverserow of looped teeth 5, intersected in part by blunt straight teeth 6.The next transverse row of teeth is composed entirely of loops 7 andfollowed by a parallel row of straight blunt teeth 8. Next to the teeth8 are two rows of looped teeth 9 and 10, and following these is anothercon tinuous row of straight blunt teeth 11, the series of teethterminating at the outer end in three looped teeth 12, disposedtriangularly or so that the regular space between the rows of teeth maybe consistently carried out. The rows of teeth on opposite sides of thebrushes slant in opposite directions or so that the comb may beeffectively used for currying at opposite ends and when worked with thispur pose in view. \Vhen running the comb over the hair, the teeth slantin the direction in which a forward movement is made, loosen up thedirt, dandruff, or other substance, and the following teeth at theopposite end drag over the hair and similarly operate on a returnmovement, the brushes acting at the same time and cleaning out the loosematerial, thus affording a double action or a simultaneous currying andbrushing,

The looped teeth not only clean as they move over the hair, but alsoraise the latter for the more thorough operation of the blunt teeth, andby the use of such teeth the skin of the animal will be protected fromabrasion or scratching. The opposite ends of the brush may also beconveniently employed for currying the limbs of the animal, as well asthe teeth at the opposite ends of the row of brushes.

The alternate arrangement of the looped teeth and the single straightblunt teeth is exceptionally effective in view of the fact, as beforeindicated, that the looped teeth raise the hair for the immediatesubsequent 1oosening action of the straight blunt teeth, and,furthermore, the looped teeth drag out the dirt, dandruff, or othersubstance after such loosening by the blunt teeth. This operation ensueswithout danger of injury to the skin of the animal and the pressure onthe comb does not have to be regulated, as in the ordinary form ofcurrycomb having sharp teeth. A material advantage is gained by havingall the teeth open or provided with spaces between them in bothtransverse and longitudinal directions, for the reason that the hair ispermitted to pass easily between the teeth and the latter individuallyact to loosen the dirt, dandruli, or other substance. The combconstructed in accordance with the improvement may also be moved intransverse directions as well as other directions thereon teeth ofvarious designs. lt is obvi-' ous that a series of bars with unbroken oruntoothed Working edges are not effective for cleaning purposes exceptwhen moved in directions at an angle to their position on the comb-back,and this is also true of combs having strips with toothed or serratededges. The single central brush 2 is also an important feature in thatthe one brush serves its function in conjunction with either series ofteeth on opposite sides of the same.

The number of the brushes might be increased and the teeth varied andmade longer or shorter, and, furthermore, changes in the proportions,size, and minor details of construction could be resorted to withoutdeparting from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. Ina currycomb, the combinationof a back having a central transversestationary brush on the bottom, and transverse rows or lines of teeth atopposite sides of. the brush, the rows of teeth being transversely andlongitndinally separated to preserve their individuality and allsimilarly slanted their full length outwardly toward the ends of theback in reverse directions on opposite sides of said brush and composedof straight and looped teeth.

2. In a currycomb, the combination of a back, a central transverse lineof stationary brushes on the body of the back, and transverse rows ofindividual mixed teeth on opposite sides of the brushes and between thelatter and the opposite ends of the back and composed of single-wire andlooped teeth with spaces between them in transverse and longitudinaldirections, the teeth at opposite sides of the brushes being similarlyarranged and all the teeth of the two sets of teeth inclined their fulllength outwardly in reverse directions and away from the brushes, theteeth of each set being all similarly inclined.

3. In a currycomb, the combination of a back, a central line ofstationary brushes on the bottom of the back, lines of rigid wire teethextending transversely across the back and comprising distinct rows ofsingle-wire and looped teeth arranged individually and with spacesbetween them both in transverse and longitudinal directions, completelyto the said back, the central line of brushes dividing the teeth intotwo distinct sets, all the teeth of each set being straight and inclinedtheir full length reversely to all the teeth of the'other set, and theteeth of each set inclined similarly outwardly toward the ends of theback.

4. In a currycomb, the combination ofa central line of stationarybrushes extending transversely across the bottom thereof, andoutwardly-inclined side teeth around the opposite terminals of the lineof brushes, the said teeth being of individual form and all equallyinclined.

5.. In a currycomb, the combination of a back, lines of straight loopedwire teeth extending transversely thereof and intersected by parallellines of straight single-wire teeth, and other lines of teeth composedof alternately-arranged single-wire and looped teeth also extendingtransversely of the back, spaces being formed between all the teeth bothin transverse and longitudinal directions,'the teeth being centrallyseparated to form two distinct sets, the teeth of each set being allinclined similarly in an outward direction toward the opposite ends ofthe back and each toothinclined its full length in the direction of itsset.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atfixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES WHITE ALLEN. lVitnesses:

GEO. D. DAVISON, JOHN I. BAILEY.

